What's New at Kyoto NHK ESS?

Dear Kyoto NHK ESS members, Here is the announcement of the latter practice online planned on Nov. 8th.
Genre: Group TalkTopic : Souvenirs
Q1 What is your favorite one?
Q2 Were there anything strange?
Q3 Are there something you want to recommend, such as 'You should buy Tokyo banana when you visit Tokyo'?
Procedures:
1.Make several groups
2.Talk about the questions above by turns and ask questions
I hope you can enjoy free talking. Thank you.

By Megumi Iwai(the name of the person in charge)

Hello, ESS members,
This is an announcement for the latter practice of November 15th.I'm in charge of this practice.
Title: "Foreigners living in Japan" Genre: discussion
Recently, have you noticed an increase in the number of foreign residents around your home or workplace? As of the end of 2024, there will be approximately 3.5 million foreigners residing in Japan. In particular, companies are gradually increasing the number of foreign workers to address the labor shortage. The main countries of origin are China, Vietnam, South Korea, the Philippines, Brazil, etc. People from diverse cultures are beginning to take root in Japanese society.

Let's talk about the topic "Foreigners living in Japan".
・Are there more foreigners around you? Have you noticed any change recently?
・What do you think about the increase in foreign residents in Japan? Agree or disagree? What is the reason?
・Why is there strong opposition to accept immigrants in Japan?
・How should Japan deal with foreign residents in the future?
・What can we do now to achieve that? .....

I look forward to practice with you!
Thank you, R. Tanaka

Please find attached the information about the practice on 11/22.
Genre: Group Discussion
Title　: How to be “ Bear-Wise”

The number of bear attacks on humans is increasing in Japan. Culling(駆除する) bears to prevent attacks is a symptomatic treatment (対症療法)、not a fundamental solution. We will learn by listening to the News13 from Western North California, where the population of black bears is re-emerging(= increasing again).

Note: In Japan, the population of people in rural areas is decreasing …

Procedure:
1. Divide into groups
2. Warm-up questions ( Let’s correct “Wasei-Eigo” )
3. Group Discussion about “How to be Bear-Wise”.
Step-1: Listen to the News13
Step-2: Questions about the News13
Step-3: Group discussion
Step-4: Group summary
I hope you enjoy it!
I.Mashima

Dear Kyoto NHK ESS members,
This is Kazumasa Yasuda, and I'm in charge of the practice on Nov. 29th.

One month ago, we had an interesting discussion about Singapore. Then how about the neighboring country? Yes, it is Malaysia. This time why don't you talk about Malaysia?
I'd like to send you the agenda of the practice below.

☆Genre: Quizzes and group discussion
☆Title: "Malaysia"
☆Procedures:
1 Make some groups.
2 Answer the quizzes on a printed handout with the discussion in your group.
3 Check the answers and exchange our comments about Malaysia with all the members.

Hoping you'll enjoy my practice!
 K. Yasuda

12月6日の２nd Practice 担当の奥(Octane)です.当日のレジメを配信しますので、準備しておいてください。- - - - - - - - - - -
[Kyoto NHK ESS. 2nd Practice for 2025.12.6 (Sat)
“SOLUTIONS”
Genre: Discussion and Talk.
Grouping: 3~4 groups consisting of 3~4 people.
Procedure:
Prepare to talk about the real stories you have experienced.
You must have been involved in problems and troubles, small or large, and exercised your decision to solve them such as the workplace matters (human relation, administration, machinery troubles, occurrence of disaster).
What was (were) the serious problem(s) you have encountered? How did you (the people) solve it (them)? Talk and discuss if you don’t mind.
1.Talk about your (people’s) decision and initial reaction, regardless of the result. My personal concern is to learn the initial power of decision-making and trouble-shooting when the people faced the problem.
2.Do you think your decision-making would be different between the times you are young (20~40) and elder (50~)?
3.Talk about our lifestyle, seriously: What is the action we must initiate right now to make us get out of the indifference (無関心) to the environmental crises? We are now losing our head over monetary and technical development and drawn into the ocean of “mihitsu-no-koi, 未必の故意” . Wake up, guys, and confront seriously the environmental crises of such small & easy matters:
a. Oceanic, atmospheric micro-plastics and biodegradable plastics.
b. Manufacturer’s and consumer’s responsibility of plastic items.
4.“Chemists have Solutions”, do you know what this phrase means?
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